The Day I Met You
by autismmom31910
Summary: My own little back story as how Gilligan and Mary Ann met. This is a spin-off of Valentine's Day and Someone For Skipper. Both stories make slight reference to Gilligan and Mary Ann meeting, before the Minnow takes off on the three hour tour. Reference is made to a character that was in the original pilot episode, but didn't make it to the series. MAG
1. Chapter 1

Mary Ann Summers was a young twenty year old girl from the small town of Win-field, Kansas. She led mostly a sheltered life. She worked five days a week at the local general store, hung out with her friends on Saturday, taught Sunday School on Sunday... and come Monday it would start all over again. She still lived at home, as did most of the young, unmarried women in her hometown did. She would come in from work, help her mother with dinner, and then afterwards, would go out to the fields and pester her brothers until dinnertime. At bedtime, she and her sister would lay awake, talking about boys... mostly celebrities that they liked, because the home grown boys, as they called them, were bland in comparison.

Now, here she was, in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was all so exciting. She had never dreamed that she would be the winner of that radio contest. Hundreds, no thousands, of people from the surrounding area had to have entered that sweepstakes themselves. She recalled how shocked she had been when Horace Higgenbotthom, sponsor of the contest, had called the house asking for "Miss Mary Ann Summers". She didn't quite believe it at first. She thought maybe one of her brothers had went into town to use the phone at the filling station, to pull a fast one on her. That wasn't the case. While she was on the phone, all three boys had filed into the house for a glass of lemonade. It was true! She had actually won!

Her mother and father worried and fretted over her going such a long distance by herself.

"I can do it, mom and dad," she had said, "I'm a grown woman. I may be married in a few years and this may be my only chance to see what's outside of Kansas. Please, don't you trust me?" Her pleading, doe-like eyes were always a weakness for her father. She was a daddy's girl, and she knew how to use it to her advantage. Her sad puppy eyes had gotten her out of plenty of spankings when she was little. Now, it was going to be her ticket to the opportunity of a lifetime. Reluctantly, her parents agreed to let her make the trip. Her mother had always wanted to go somewhere grand, such as Hawaii, but it was never something that had happened for her . She was now glad that Mary Ann would get the chance to do what she never got to.

The sights all around her were so beautiful. She had never seen a palm tree in her life, except for in a poster. The people were lovely as well, with their lovely tan skin and thick black hair. A beautiful woman had greeted Mary Ann at the airport, placing a flower lei around her neck. Once outside the airport, a car was waiting to take her to her hotel... one that had been arranged as part of her vacation package. As she looked out the window, she studied her surroundings. Driving through downtown Honolulu, she saw bumper to bumper traffic, tall buildings, and people in business attire walking up and down the sidewalk. She imagined that this is what most large cities look like. However, the more the car drove and the farther they got from the city, the sights changed. She began to see the vastness of the Pacific spread out before her. More and more palm trees came into view. Her hotel was located near a beach, which included a marina, shops, concessions, and carriage rides. This excited Mary Ann. Although she had her own itinerary planned, she knew in her off time she would be down at that beach, taking full advantage of everything they had to offer.

The car pulled up to Mary Ann's hotel. The driver jumped out of the vehicle, got Mary Ann's luggage out of the trunk, and opened the door for her.

"Her you are Miss," he had said with a pleasant look on his face, "I hope you have a nice time while you're here."

"Thank you sir," Mary Ann said politely, pulling out a couple of dollars to tip her driver with. He muttered a thank you and nodded with a smile before getting back into his vehicle. Soon the driver was out of sight. Mary Ann grabbed her two suitcases and entered the lobby of the grand hotel.

"Hi, may I help you?"

"Yes, I'm Mary Ann Summers. I'm the contest winner for the KZQD radio contest in Kansas. I believe I have a room waiting for me here." The clerk flipped through a large book filled with names.

"Summers... Summers... oh yes, here we are. Mary Ann Summers in room 238. I'm sorry Miss Summers, but your room isn't ready yet. I truly apologize. We have a housekeeper out with the mumps. It might be a couple of hours."

"Oh, that's ok. I think I'll head over to the beach for awhile."

"Here, take this coupon for the Island Charter Tours."

"Oh, what's that?"

"It's boats that tour the other islands and surrounding areas. There are four different boats to choose from, the Dynasty, the Torpedo, the Minnow, and the Mermaid. Confidentially, if I were you, I would avoid the Minnow. The First Mate is a walking disaster." Mary Ann looked at the clerk like she had flipped her lid.

_Gosh, that wasn't a very nice thing for her to say. I may purposely choose the Minnow. Now I'm intrigued. Surely no one can be that bad. The poor fellow. _She had thought.

She made her way outside and crossed the parking lot to head over to the Marina. She could already feel the sea salt on her skin as a breeze blew in from the direction of the ocean. She could smell it, she could taste it. She could hear the sounds of childrens' laughter and the roaring of the waves. Excitement filled her heart, as she rushed to the the booth that said Island Charter Tours. She couldn't wait to get her ticket. Out on the open sea... she had never been on a ship before either... a canoe maybe... but never a ship. She wondered if she would enjoy herself, or if she would get seasick. She eyed the boats down at the Marina. The Dynasty looked like an all out luxury liner. It was monstrous in size. A very good looking, clean cut, clean shaven gentleman stood on the boardwalk, giving orders to a small crew. He must have been the captain. The Mermaid was much smaller. A picture of two mermaids were painted on either side of the ship's name. A mermaid statue jutted out from the ship's bow. The Torpedo was nowhere in sight. It must have already been out on the water. Then she spotted the Minnow. The captain, she assumed, was a large, older man. He was shouting orders to a younger man, who had just dropped a tray of glasses.

"GILLIGAN! YOU KLUTZ! GET THIS MESS CLEANED UP!" The captain had shouted, "We've got a lot of work left to do before the passengers board." The captain had turned around to study his map once again. When the captain's back was turned, this Gilligan, whoever he was, had stuck his tongue out at his commanding officer. Mary Ann giggled, and placed a hand over her mouth. The young man was cute... very cute. He was tall and lanky. His wispy brown hair was hidden under a white sailor hat, where only the front was flipped up. She couldn't see his eyes, though she tried to imagine...were they blue?... Green?... Brown?

"May I help you miss?" Mary Ann jumped at the sound of the woman at the ticket booth. She suddenly realized she had been daydreaming, trying to figure out this Gilligan character she had just seen.

_I wonder what kind of name Gilligan is?_

_"Oh yes," Mary Ann stated. "I have this coupon here to take an island tour on one of the boats." She presented the coupon to the woman behind the counter._

_"Alright dear." I need you to fill out this form. Name here, address here, emergency contact here, then date and signature at the bottom," the woman told here. Mary Ann filled out the form and handed it back to the woman._

_""Ok, I can get you on the Dynasty. It will be leaving dock in approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. It's located on pier 2." the woman said, pointing a little to her right._

_Mary Ann looked at her ticket. The Dynasty was a fine looking ship, with a fine looking captain too..yet she felt disappointed. Her mind kept saying, _"the Minnow".

"Excuse me, is there any way I can get on the Minnow by any chance?" She asked the woman. The woman looked at her strangely, as if she wondered why she wanted to ride the Minnow specifically.

"I'm sorry ma'am. These boats usually have more passengers, but the Minnow is making several stops today, transporting passengers to other islands. They just have too much cargo and we can't allow any more than five passengers this time," the lady explained.

"Thank... thank you ma'am," she said.

"It's quite alright. Now, shops are to your left and concessions are to your right, if you care to kill a little time while you're waiting," she told Mary Ann. Mary Ann smiled and nodded as she picked up her suitcases and made her way down the boardwalk. She was about to enter a shop that sold floral print shirts, when the first mate of the Minnow caught her eye again. He was rushing about, mopping the deck and whistling happily to himself. Mary Ann had wanted to go into the shop and purchase one of those shirts for her father, but she couldn't take her eyes off of this Gilroy, Gilead... what was his name again? Oh yeah, it was Gilligan. She watched him intently, as he moved back and forth, stopping only to wipe his brow, then his arms would pump the mop back and forth again. He finished the mopping and went about checking to see if the wheel was greased enough to where the captain wouldn't have a hard time turning it, also making sure it wasn't too lose to where a wrong turn could occur. She stood there for the longest time, with thoughts filling her mind.

_He doesn't look very old. I wonder how old he is? I wonder where he's from. He looks like he enjoys what he does. I wonder what he does with his off time._ Mary Ann's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a voice calling to her.

"Hi there!" A male voice called out in her direction. Mary Ann looked around and wondered if she was the one being spoken to. She suddenly looked up and cupped her hand over her brow, shielding her eyes from the sun. It was the young man on the boat. She couldn't make out his face well because of the sun's rays blinding her. He sure sounded pleasant enough. She blushed, realizing that she was staring for quite some time and the young man had taken notice of this.

"Hi there!" He yelled again, waving at her.

"Hi there yourself," she said with a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a hotter day than usual. The sun was bright and beat down fiercely on the neck of William Gilligan. He always went by Gilligan. He always said it was easier. While in the Navy, he found the men being called out by their last names, especially when being reprimanded. He had been reprimanded a lot. He was always tripping over something or knocking something over. Many times, he spoke out of turn or spoke too often. The mess hall of his ship had become a familiar sight for him. He was either cleaning tables, taking out garbage, washing dishes, or peeling potatoes. The Captain felt hard work was just what this young recruit needed. His Captain wasn't all bad, though. During weekend passes, Jonas Grumby had invited him to go to the clubs and bars with him, telling Gilligan that he was in charge of making sure that he behaved himself. Yep, his Captain had never met a girl he didn't like, nor did he ever meet a drink he didn't like. That's where Gilligan came in. The Captain knew if Gilligan would be clumsy enough, the bartender would kick them both out before he had the chance to get drunk. Likewise, if he were irritating enough, it would drive every girl away before he run the risk of possibly getting them into trouble. Gilligan knew all of this, of course. He didn't feel used, though. The Skipper, as Gilligan called him, would tell him that he was glad to have him along. Likewise, every time the Skipper had been tough on him, he would always say, "Gilligan, you have Captain potential... I just know it! You just have to get your head screwed on straight. I'm gonna make sure you get your head screwed on straight."

Their friendship had been cemented, however, the day Gilligan had accidentally triggered off a depth charge. Gilligan could see it was headed right for the Skipper. He immediately ran, thinking nothing of his own safety, and pushed him out of the way. A hero! Gilligan had suddenly been referred to as a hero by all the others on the ship. While he was proud of this achievement and he was thankful that the Skipper was safe, he was pretty shaken up that the only reason he had needed to save the Skipper's life was because of one of his goofs. When his time in the Navy was done, he didn't re-enlist. When the Skipper got word of this, he put in for his retirement to the Navy and decided that he would take up giving boat tours. It was a business idea that he had pondered for awhile. He felt now was the time. He invited Gilligan to go along with him and be his first mate. Of course, he used the excuse that he needed Gilligan to keep him out of trouble.

That was three years ago. He and the Skipper had been launching the Minnow everyday since then. It was a great job, most of the time... when he didn't get yelled at, or when the passengers were pleasant. Most of the time they were, but sometimes they were downright demanding, wanting this and that or expecting Gilligan to know every single landmark or the entire history of Hawaii. The worst for him was mixing drinks. He had to have a bartender's license, since sometimes people rented the Minnow for parties, but sometimes he still got his drinks mixed up. Being that he never drank the stuff himself, he would get confused as to whether he should use Vodka or Tequila. Should he squeeze in lime juice or add orange juice? It was too much to remember. He was sure some people got some very odd drinks indeed. He did like meeting the passengers, though, as long as they were nice. Their passengers ranged everything from small children with their parents to elderly couples taking that last romantic getaway before they settled in to being home bodies. They had seen wealthy people, middle class people, crude and vulgar people, deeply religious people, big chesty, curvy women with long flowing hair, and also rather large and not so attractive women. Gilligan took interest in everyone of them, knowing they might have some interesting back story. The women terrified him. His biggest fear had always been rejection. Some of the other passengers, however, Gilligan might strike up a conversation with them and find out more about them. This would usually get him in deep water with the Skipper. "Quit bothering the passengers and get back to your tasks," he would say.

On this day, in particular, they were running a three hour tour of five passengers. Gilligan already began to wonder about them.

_Let's see... Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III... oh boy, that's the mega-wealthy couple who have several different homes all over the United States. Elizabeth (Bunny) Cooper... Bunny? What kind of name is that?... Miss Ginger Grant... oh! I've seen all of her movies...even the ones where she's just been an extra... which is quite a few. Last one... Professor Roy Hinkley... I sure hope he doesn't ask me a bunch of questions. I'll feel dumber than I already do._

Gilligan replaced the passenger roster back on it's clipboard. He had better start getting busy before the Skipper started yelling.

"GILLIGAN!" The Skipper's voice came from the bowel of the ship, "Get these deck chairs set out! Pronto!"

"Aye, aye, Skipper," Gilligan saluted, as he headed down below to get the deck chairs for the passengers.

After the deck chairs had been set out, he swept the deck and then rewashed and dried some drinking glasses that he would use later on when the small luncheon was served. The galley of the Minnow was rather small, so the tray of glasses were a bit of an obstacle to him, as he tried to lay out bread and cold cuts on the tiny counter. He picked up the tray and made his way back to the deck of the ship. Feeling a little bit whimsical, he pretended that he was a maitre d' of a fancy French restaurant. He stood straight, puffed out his chest, and held his head high. He balanced the tray on one hand and lifted it high, as he ascended the stairs to the deck. Unfortunately, having his head so high in the air, he didn't see the deck chairs. As he tripped, the tray went flying and all the glasses came shattering down around him. He knew he was in for it this time.

GILLIGAN! YOU KLUTZ! GET THIS MESS CLEANED UP! The Skipper had bellowed, turning away from his map. The captain muttered something else that Gilligan had already tuned out. When the Skipper returned to studying his map, Gilligan stuck out his tongue. He never would have been brave enough to do it to his face. Suddenly, Gilligan's attention was sparked by the sound of laughter. It was feminine laughter, he was almost certain. Had someone seen him stick his tongue out? Oh, if the wrong person had saw that, he might get in all kinds of trouble. He scanned the boardwalk with his eyes to see if anyone was looking his way.

_Nope, everybody is just coming and going, well except that pretty little gal by the ticket booth... and Gladys, but she's busy helping the girl fill out her consent form._

Pretty little gal? It wasn't often that Gilligan ever took notice of how pretty a girl was. All he seemed interested in was comic books, animals, root beer, ice cream, rock and roll, and of course... life at sea. It wasn't that he didn't like girls at all... after all, he had gone through puberty once, just like any boy that becomes a man... they just weren't his main focus. Nor did he worry about chasing skirts, like his big buddy, the Skipper sometimes did. No, if a girl was interested in talking to Gilligan, he would talk to them. It was the hugging and kissing and mushy stuff that he didn't care for. He was so sure that he wouldn't be any good at those things, so such things scared him. He didn't want to be the laughing stock to some girl.

Forgetting the girl for the moment, Gilligan went about sweeping up the glass, and then mopping it to make sure all the shards had come up off the deck. He was lost in his own thoughts, happily humming to himself, when he noticed something didn't feel right. He had the strange feeling of being watched. He furrowed his brow and began to look around him. The Skipper was now studying his weather report, not paying any attention to the first mate. He shrugged and went back to his work. He stopped again...he just couldn't shake that feeling. He knew he was being watched. He walked over the starboard side of the ship and looked over the rail. Standing close to the ship was the girl he saw at the ticket booth. She was a lovely girl, he thought, as he felt a funny fluttering sensation in the pit of his stomach. She wasn't from here... that he was sure of. She looked like one of those dainty porcelain dolls that his sister had upon her nick-nack shelf. She wore black oxfords, ankle socks, a red and white checkered gingham dress. She had not one hair out of place. Her brunette locks were curled and gathered into ponytails that hung over her shoulders. Each one was tied back by a red ribbon. Even from up in the ship, Gilligan could tell she had full, pink lips. Pretty was the only word to describe them. She appeared as she were staring off into space. Gilligan mustered up all the courage he could and called out to her.

"Hi there!" He called. The girl snapped to attention as she looked in Gilligan's direction.

"Hi there!" He called again, waving to her. She had cupped her hand over her brow. She appeared to be trying to get a better look at him.

"Hi there yourself!" She called back with a wave and a smile. Gilligan felt all warm inside. Suddenly, before he had the chance to say anything else to her, he felt the hand of the Skipper pulling him by the collar of his shirt.

"Gilligan, how many times have I told you not to pester the tourists," the Skipper said sternly. Gilligan wasn't concerned, he was too excited.

"Skipper! Did ya see? Did ya see? I actually talked to a girl... and she talked back! Skipper, she smiled at me," Gilligan gushed, feeling quite pleased with himself.


	3. Chapter 3

The Skipper looked at his first mate and sighed. It was his job to keep him on track and on schedule. That didn't mean, however, that the captain didn't occasionally have a soft spot from time to time. He saw the grin on his young friend's face, and decided just this once to skip the lecture and rejoice in Gilligan's excitement.

"Why, that's wonderful! You see, Gilligan, you can talk to girls! You also proved that you can be a quite likable guy when you put your mind to it," he said, slapping Gilligan on the back. "However, the passengers will be boarding soon. You really should get down there and start loading the cargo, ok?"

"Aye, aye Skipper!" Gilligan said with a salute. He turned on his heel and made his way down the platform and to the loading dock. He passed by the girl he had waved to previously.

"Afternoon ma'am," Gilligan said, tipping his hat and scooting past her.

"Good afternoon," Mary Ann replied, her face blushing bright.

_Pretty pink lips and pretty pink cheeks._ Gilligan thought, as he noticed his own face flushed with heat. There was that funny feeling in his stomach again. He tried to forget about it as he started gathering some of the luggage the Howell's had brought. He was extra careful, as he picked up the genuine leather cases that had been monogrammed with TH. It looked like it had been embossed with pure gold.

"I say there, young man! Be very careful with my luggage! Very precious things inside those cases you know," the older and distinguished gentleman warned Gilligan. That must have been Thurston Howell the third, Gilligan thought to himself. The attractive older woman beside him must have been his wife.

"Wow, there sure are a lot of cases," Gilligan pointed out to the couple, "you planning on staying awhile?"

"My dear boy," the woman exclaimed, "that's only a weeks worth and only the barest of necessities." If that's what the barest of necessities was to Mrs. Howell, Gilligan wondered what it would be if they had packed frivolously.

Mary Ann watched from the side, intrigued at this seemingly scrawny boy's strength, as he toted four suitcases at once; one under each arm and one in each hand.

_He must hide that strength somewhere. Well, he is a sailor after all. He has to be strong enough to hoist a sail or pull up an anchor. Maybe he's Popeye and has a secret stash of spinach somewhere._ This thought amused Mary Ann, who had just grinned at her own joke.

Gilligan glanced out of the corner of his eye, as he continued to go back and forth, carrying luggage and supplies for the ship from the loading dock. The girl in the red gingham dress seemed intrigued with what he was doing. She watched him and the others waiting to board the Minnow with wide eyed wonder.

_I'll bet she's no more than twenty one. I'll bet this is her first time away from home. I wonder if she's all alone. Does she have parents with her? Friends? A husband?_

Gilligan shook his head. Why did it matter to him who she had with her. He went back to his work, loading a small trunk belonging to Miss Ginger Grant. He then grabbed two small suitcases belonging to Miss Cooper.

"Gilligan! You need to hurry! We're going to fall behind schedule," the Skipper had called from the side of the boat. Gilligan looked up and nodded. There were only two crates left. Both of them were books and supplies belonging to Professor Roy Hinkley. The story was that he was conducting a Botany seminar on one of the other islands, while promoting his book in progress, "Fun With Ferns". Gilligan grabbed a crate. It didn't seem to be too heavy. Bravely, he decided to stack the other one on top and try to kill two birds with one stone, as the saying went. He stacked the last crate on top the other. He parted his feet, took a deep breath, and slowly began to lift the crate with back straight and knees bent. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all. One crate wasn't heavy, but the two together were torture. He struggled across the boardwalk, barely being able to see in front of him. He shuffled his feet, careful not to make his strides too wide.

_Oh dear! He's going to hurt himself. He can barely see where he's going. _Mary Ann thought, as she looked on.

Suddenly, and before Gilligan knew what was happening, his foot got caught on a lose plank in the boardwalk. Gilligan fell forward, not being able to stop himself. The items in the two crates scattered out before him, as he lay sprawled on the boardwalk.

"Oh no!" The Professor had shouted, as he immediately began grabbing up pages of his scattered book. The red headed actress and the blonde began to help him. "My book, my beautiful manuscript. It will take hours to get back in order.

Mary Ann gasped when he fell and immediately rushed over to see if she could assist Gilligan in someway. Although he fell hard, Gilligan scrambled to his feet quickly, brushing off his clothes and replacing his hat back on his head. He right away started to grab the items around them and began to repack the crates to the best of his ability.

"Oh here, let me help you,"

"No ma'am, it's alright. It's my job."

"Nonsense, this is a mess. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but please, you really don't have to do this."

"I want to," just then, Mary Ann and Gilligan reached out and grabbed the same book. When their fingertips touched, they both looked up, locking eyes with one another. It was then that Mary Ann noticed that Gilligan had blue eyes. They were the purest blue she'd ever seen, ocean blue to be exactly. Her heart slammed against her chest and her breath was taken away when he smiled at her. He was adorable, so adorable.

Gilligan looked at Mary Ann. He blushed, feeling awkward and shy. Her doe like eyes met his. Although he wanted to keep looking, his eyes involuntarily shifted downward. He couldn't maintain eye contact for anything. The touch of her fingertips made him feel nervous and excited all at the same time. It was then that he noticed they were both still holding on to the book, staring at each other. He gently took the book from her hands.

"Thank you for helping me," he said, standing up and then offering Mary Ann a hand to help her up. They had both been on their hands and knees picking up the items.

"Oh, you're welcome," she said.

"Um... my name is Willy Gilligan. Everyone just calls me Gilligan," he said shyly, sticking out his hand.

"Mary Ann Summers, " Mary Ann said, accepting Gilligan's handshake.

_Mary Ann. Mary Ann. Mary Ann._ Gilligan had said over and over in his head. He wanted to form the words on his lips, but though better of it. He didn't want anyone to think he was crazy.

"GILLIGAN! COME ON! WE HAVE TO SHOVE OFF SOON!" The Skipper yelled.

"Well um... I want to thank you again. I guess I'll see ya. You taking a boat tour?" Gilligan asked.

"Yeah," Mary Ann said with disappointment in her voice, "I'm on the Dynasty. I'm just killing time until it boards."

"Oh," Gilligan said, looking down and scuffing his shoes on the planks.

"I... I wanted to get on the Minnow. The lady at the ticket booth said you were full," Mary Ann explained. Although she wasn't sure why, Mary Ann became sad at the thought of having to part ways with this boy. He was nice, easy to talk to. She wanted to get to know him a little bit.

_I know, I'll come back tomorrow and buy a ticket for the Minnow. I'll be here first thing in the morning if I have to. That way, I can spend three hours talking to him, instead of just a few minutes._

Just then, Mary Ann's thoughts were interrupted by the feel of a hand wrapped around hers.

"Hey!" Gilligan yelled, "I have an idea! A great idea! Come on!" He yanked her arm as he ran. Mary Ann just about came out of her shoes and had to hold the hat she was wearing on her head, just to keep it from flying off. What he was up to, she didn't know... but she was intrigued to find out.


	4. Chapter 4

"So what's this great idea of yours? " Mary Ann asked as she did her best to keep up with Gilligan.

"We'll get one of the other passengers to switch tickets with you. I'm sure someone wouldn't mind," Gilligan asked. Mary Ann wasn't so sure. She felt awkward walking up to some stranger and saying, "hey, you wanna trade tickets?"

Gilligan looked around to see who he might ask. He knew he couldn't ask Mr. and Mrs. Howell. They came together. That left Professor Hinkley, Miss Grant, or Miss Cooper. He was a tad bit hesitate to ask the Professor. He was afraid he might still be angry about Gilligan spilling all of his belonging. He had to try anyway. Gilligan didn't want to risk the chance of never seeing Mary Ann again. He still needed to find a way to thank her for all of her help trying to get things picked up and put up in a timely order. Besides that, it was more than the help. Mary Ann had been sympathetic and kind toward him. When he had felt the most foolish, she had made him feel like he had someone he could count on for a little bit of morale.

Gilligan approached the Professor. He cleared his throat before he began to speak. The Professor was reading a book about native island tribes. He had been deeply engrossed and rubbing his chin as he read. His head snapped up and the sound of Gilligan's voice.

"Excuse me, Professor Hinkley, sir," Gilligan started out a little bit timidly.

"Yes, what is it?" The Professor replied.

"I'm... uh... I'm sorry about knocking your crates over. I don't think anything is broken. Are the pages of your book ok?"

"Thankfully, yes. Coincidentally they seemed to have scattered in a somewhat consecutive order, page wise that is. Besides that, I had a little help," The Professor glanced over his shoulder. The redheaded actress was checking her hair-do in a compact mirror. The blonde was popping bubble gum, looking at her watch impatiently.

"Well, I was wondering. Would you like to upgrade your cruise to a first class ship?" Gilligan said, pointing to the grand S.S. Dynasty that was docked just to their left. "All you have to do is trade tickets with this nice lady over here." He pointed to Mary Ann, who was holding up her ticket to show the Professor. The Professor raised an eyebrow. It was a strange request. Why did the young girl in front of him want to trade her ticket if the Dynasty was indeed a great ship?

"No, I'm sorry I can't," he said, then explained to Mary Ann, "you see, I'm leading a Botany seminar over on Oahu Island. This is the only ship that is making a stop there today. Besides that," he said looking over at Gilligan, "my things are already boarded on the Minnow, safe and sound for now. I don't dare run the risk of my things being unloaded by a first mate who is in too big of a hurry."

"Well, ok. Thank you anyway," Mary Ann said. She and Gilligan began to walk away. She turned to Gilligan and spoke, "Well, it was worth a shot, I suppose. I didn't really think he would trade his ticket."

"We can still ask Ginger Grant and Bunny Cooper. Come on," Gilligan said, pulling Mary Ann by the hand again. If Gilligan had just realized how much hand holding he had been doing in the last five minutes, he would have fainted. He paid no attention to that, though. He was a man on a mission.

"Gilligan!" The Skipper shouted, "What in the devil are you doing? We ship out in ten minutes! Leave that girl alone and help the passengers board!"

"Not now, Skipper! I'm busy," Gilligan said, not even looking at his boss. He hurried past the Minnow, with Mary Ann in tow, and made his way to where Miss Grant and Miss Cooper were standing. The Skipper's face turned beet red with anger. _Insubordination! _That's what it was. Out and out insubordination. The Skipper ripped his hat off his head, realized that Gilligan wasn't in hitting distance, and slammed the cap firmly back on his head. Gilligan was lucky indeed. Had the Skipper been down there with him, he likely would've done something to send that boy to the hospital.

"Look, there they are," Gilligan told Mary Ann, as he pointed toward Ginger and Bunny. "Ladies... excuse me ladies!" Both girls looked up to see the Minnow's first mate and a woman dressed as a little girl running toward them. When Gilligan reached them, he was breathless. He began to pant and try to catch his breath before he tried to speak.

"Is there something you wanted?" Ginger asked, looking strangely at the pair of them.

"Would you at all be interested in trading boat tickets with Miss Summers?" Gilligan asked.

"Why on earth would I want to do that?" Ginger asked.

"Well... um... oh yeah! You see, Miss Summers has a ticket for the S.S. Dynasty, but it isn't leaving for awhile. She has... an important prior engagement this afternoon. She'll miss it if she takes the Dynasty," Gilligan said. Gilligan was smiling on the inside. He was rather good at making up phony stories. Surely this one would work for sure.

"Not a chance!" Ginger said. Gilligan's face fell. "I don't want to wait around here some more. I've just done back to back USO shows for the men in green and the men in white. They may not have been in battle, but they sure were fighting over me. I"m exhausted and all I want to do is get on that boat and take in the sights."

"Green and white? What's she talking about?" Mary Ann whispered to Gilligan.

"Oh she's just done two USO shows. One for the U.S. Army, the other for the U.S. Navy," Gilligan explained.

"How about you, Miss Cooper? Will you trade your ticket?" Gilligan asked. The young blonde looked a little unsure. This time Mary Ann spoke up.

"Look miss, I didn't have to pay for my ticket because I'm waiting on my hotel room. I'm will to trade your ticket for mine, plus pay you whatever you paid for your ticket," Mary Ann offered. She wasn't quite sure why it had become so important suddenly that she be on the Minnow on that particular boarding, but she did feel an urgency. Perhaps it was because Gilligan was trying so hard to get her on board that she felt it was now priority number one to be on that ship with him.

The girl looked at Mary Ann with uncertainty. She pondered it, but then she caught sight of two very handsome Naval officers in their dress whites going aboard the S. S. Dynasty.

"Here," Bunny said, offering Mary Ann her ticket. Mary Ann graciously accepted it and handed her ticket over to Bunny. "Keep your money. I think being on the Dynasty with those two hunks are going to be reward enough." She left Mary Ann, Gilligan, and Ginger, heading straight for the Dynasty. She turned back, approached the Skipper and told him that she needed her bags. The Skipper looked confused. He was angry, thinking Gilligan was the cause of Miss Cooper wanting to cancel her trip.

Gilligan and Mary Ann hugged. "You did it! You did it!" Mary Ann shouted. Suddenly, their merriment was interrupted by the sound of shouting.

"GILLIGAN! GET OVER HERE NOW!" The Skipper was furious. Gilligan hung his head. He knew he was in for it this time.

"You go ahead and board," Gilligan told Mary Ann sadly, "I'll see you later... that is if I don't get fired." She gave him a sympathetic look. She felt guilty. She sincerely hoped that all the trouble he had went through for her wouldn't cause him to lose his job. Gilligan watched as Mary Ann made her way up the platform to the Minnow. He then slowly made his way over to the Skipper. He gulped as he gave a salute, his hand shaking the entire time.

"At ease, Gilligan," the Skipper said. Gilligan dropped his arm, "I don't know what's the matter with you today, but I will not, and I repeat, will not be talked down to by an inferior. Do you understand?" Gilligan nodded. "I out rank you, and don't you ever forget it! We are five minutes behind schedule, Mr. Howell is riding my tail about the itinerary, Professor Hinkley is upset by his scientific equipment being dropped, and now Miss Cooper requested her bags, saying she changed her mind about riding the Minnow. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Well, Skipper," he said, fidgeting with his hat. He kept twisting it round and round in his hands, "you see Mary Ann wanted to ride the Minnow, but the Minnow was full. So I thought it would be a good idea to find someone for her to trade tickets with. We asked Professor Hinkley and he said no, and Ginger Grant said no, but Miss Cooper said yes and now she is riding on the Dynasty and Mary Ann is sitting up in the Minnow."

"Gilligan! It's not that simple. We have a passenger roster, a listing of everyone's belongings They all signed liability waivers. You get her off this boat now!" The Skipper shouted. Suddenly, Gilligan had another idea. He grabbed the passenger roster out of the Skipper's hands and made a mad dash for the ticket booth.

"Gilligan, what are you doing now?" The Skipper hollered.

"Not now, Skipper! I'm gonna get this fixed! I'll be back in a few!" Gilligan shouted.

The Skipper threw his cap to the ground, mumbling a few curses under his breath. _This just isn't my day!_ He thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Gilligan ran with all his might back down to the main office where the passenger rosters were printed out. One copy was given to the Captain of each ship, and a main copy stayed on file in the office. Gilligan flew up the stairs and bolted through the door.

"Where's the fire, Gilligan, " said Martha, dryly. Martha was a slightly older woman, with a dark brown beehive hairdo, and cat eye glasses that were fastened to a chain. Martha was the receptionist in the main office.

"Gladys made a mistake on this passenger roster," Gilligan fibbed, "see here, it says that Bunny Cooper is on the Minnow, but she isn't. She's on the Dynasty."

"Well, redirect the poor girl," Martha suggested.

"I did, but when I saw her ticket, it said the S.S. Dynasty on it," Gilligan went even further, "our ship has a passenger on it by the name of Mary Ann Summers. Her ticket says S.S. Minnow, but she's not on our passenger roster."

Martha sighed. She knew Gilligan told tall tales sometimes, but she couldn't risk not taking care of this matter. If something were to happen, the proper family would have to be notified.

"Ok Gilligan I'll get this checked out. Tell Captain Grumby I'll be there in ten minutes with a revised roster, if it's even needed."

"Oh thank you Martha," Gilligan said as he made a mad dash back for the Minnow.

...

The Skipper was getting more anxious by the moment. He paced back and forth, looking over the starboard side of the ship, to see if Gilligan was on his way back from wherever it was. He sighed as he saw Gilligan heading back for the boat.

"Skipper! Skipper!" Gilligan yelled.

"For heaven's sake, Gilligan. What is it?" The Skipper growled.

"Martha said she'd have a revised roster here in ten minutes," Gilligan reported with a grin.

"TEN MINUTES!" Mrs. Howell exclaimed, "Good heavens, can't anything run on time anymore. That''s just nothing but poor planning, isn't that right dear?"

"I'd say so, Lovey! This ship stalls five more minutes and I will sue! What do you think of that, Captain? If you're nice to me, I'll let you keep your job," Mr. Howell sneered.

"Now you hold on just a minute, Mr. Thurston Howell the third. I may work for this marina, but I paid for this little boat out of my own blood, sweat, and tears. This isn't just an assault on the Island Charter Tours, now it's personal," the Skipper said sternly.

"I demand satisfaction!" Mr. Howell bellowed.

Ginger, who had been silently reading a book, slammed it closed and turned in Mr. Howell's direction, "WOULD YOU PUT A SOCK IN IT? I'm trying to read," she said, as she rolled her eyes. Professor Hinkley, who was seated next to miss Grant, looked at her with wide eyes. She sure was a fiery one. Just then, he remembered he had some place to be too.

"My seminar. What's going to happen if I'm late for my seminar? I am the Master of Ceremony after all. We could have been halfway there if this kid hadn't caused such a commotion," he said, pointing at Gilligan. Mary Ann, who had been quiet up until this point, jumped up and faced the Professor.

"Now you listen here. I don't know what you are getting so upset about. You'll make your precious seminar. Don't yell at Gilligan. He was trying to do something kind for me. I'm a long way from home, and I've never been away from home. Why, Gilligan was as sweet and hospitable as the boy next door. I'm sure he didn't know switching the tickets would cause this much delay." She turned and smiled at Gilligan. Before he knew what was going on, he smiled back.

Gilligan was just about to get an ear full from the Skipper, when Martha made her way up the ramp. She placed a hand on the rail of the ship, panting to catch her breath.

"Here you go," she muttered, still trying to breathe properly, "one revised passenger roster." The Skipper looked it over.

!.Mr. Thurston Howell the third

2\. Mrs. Thurston Howell the third

3\. Mr. Roy Hinkley PhD.

4\. Miss. Ginger Grant

5\. Miss Mary Ann Summers

"Thank you Martha," replied the Skipper, "I'm sorry if Gilligan caused you any trouble." He said this as he glared in Gilligan's direction.

"You know, Jonas," Martha said, "you're either a glutton for punishment or you have the patience of Job. Maybe you're just plain crazy to keep this boy around. You tell me which one it is, and that will be my vote in the office poll of as to why Gilligan is still in you're employ."

"Martha, add one more to your list," the Skipper said, "Gilligan has captain potential. I'll be the one laughing at the rest of you when I'm the one who helps him get there. Good day to you, Martha."

After Martha left, the Skipper welcomed everyone aboard the Minnow, went over some safety rules, and Gilligan demonstrated how to put on a life jacket. Of course, he got tangled up in it a few times, but everyone had the general idea of what to do. Within a few minutes, the engine roared to life and the anchor was raised. The S. S. Minnow pulled out of the harbor, just shy of twenty-five minutes behind schedule.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying the sights, as Gilligan pointed out different plants and birds as they past by different parts of the island. He became excited once and shouted, "Look! There's a dolphin!" Everyone scrambled to the bow of the ship and watched in awe as the dolphin jumped through the air once again. Gilligan was enjoying this sight as well, when he felt someone tug on his sleeve.

"Excuse me, I have a question," Mary Ann said.

"Sure, do you want to know about the marine life around here or perhaps the history of the island people? If I can't answer your question, I'll bet the Skipper has a book in his quarters you could borrow that would tell you," Gilligan said. Mary Ann chuckled and shook her head.

"No silly. I was just wondering where you are from, and do you like it here?" she asked. Gilligan was shocked. Mary Ann was interested in him more than she was interested in the tour.

"Well, I'm from Pennsylvania. I live in a little town twenty miles south of Lancaster. My mom would sometimes take us to the Amish market. She would let me , my brother, and my sister take buggy rides for a quarter a piece. The Amish are nice. The driver would always let me pet his horse and give him a carrot."

"I like horses too," Mary Ann said, "I have a horse back home named Buttercup. Well, she really belongs to my sister, Debbie, and I. I love riding her."

"Where are you from?"

"Win-field, Kansas."

"Is it a nice town."

"Yep, everybody knows everybody. People are kind and trustworthy."

"That sounds like my hometown. Everybody is nice, especially my best friend, Skinny Mulligan, and our side kick Fatso Flannigan. Even Florence Oppenheimer is nice. That's Skinny's girlfriend. She's not very pretty, but my mom says she's pretty on the inside. I guess she's ok."

"Do you like it here? Do you like your job? Your captain seems kind of mean."

"Oh no, the Skipper has a big heart. When we're not on duty, he calls me his "little buddy". I get irritated when he gets so mad, but he keeps telling me it's for my own good, so I can straighten up and become a man and make wise decisions. He thinks I could be a captain someday. I think he is the only one who thinks so."

"I think so too. It took real initiative and persistence for you to get this ticket for me. The idea was all your own."

"Yeah, and it got me in big trouble. Sometimes I still don't think things through very well."

"Just give yourself time. You'll get there. I'm still growing up too," Mary Ann said, placing a hand on his. Gilligan looked down. He was getting that funny feeling in the pit of his stomach again. He looked up at Mary Ann and just smiled, who was still smiling at him. He scratched the back of his head with his other hand, and cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Um... Mary Ann... um... do you like ice cream?" Gilligan asked shyly.

"Oh I love ice cream! Why do you ask?" She pondered.

"Well... um. You see... I know this little stand on the beach, near the marina, that sells homemade ice cream. Maybe I can buy you a sundae after we dock? You know... as a thank you for helping me pick up the Professor's things... and for sticking up for me." He struggled say, just barely making eye contact with her.

_Oh how sweet! That dear boy is trying to ask me out. Poor thing, I wish he wasn't so shy... but yet, it's kind of an attractive quality. Mary Ann, you're only here one week, remember? Oh, I just can't say no to those blue eyes and that warm smile._

"Gilligan, I would love to get ice cream with you," she said with delight. Suddenly, Mary Ann felt something wet hit her. In fact, Gilligan was wet too. She looked up in the sky and it had grown dark while the two of them had been talking. It had gotten windy too. Her hat blew off of her head and landed into the ocean. Before another word could come out of her mouth, lightening struck and the rain began to come in a downpour.

"Everyone! A storm's brewing!" Gilligan said. "Follow me, single file to the bowel of the ship. Hurry now!"

Gilligan one by one took each passenger by the hand and led them to the stairway leading to the bowel. Mary Ann was the last in line. He took her hand, and looked at her before leading her down the stairs. Her poor young eyes were filled with fear.

"It's alright, Mary Ann. Everything will be ok. I'm right here," he said, as she descended. Gilligan checked on the Skipper before receiving orders to wait out the storm with the passengers. The Skipper told him he would call him back up if need be.


	6. Epilogue

Forty years later...

"So, several hours later... when the storm had died down, the five of us came back up to the deck. We were all shocked to see that we were on some island we didn't even recognize," Mary Ann said to the three children that surrounded her.

"Is that really how you and grandpa Gilligan met?" Asked a four year old little boy.

"Of course it is!" Said a nine year old little girl. "Grandma has told this story before. Isn't that right, grandma?"

"Yes dear, but what you may not know is that your mother **and** your father were born on that island," she said, tousling the hair of the six year old red headed boy next to her. Mary Ann had never been one to play favorites, but she had a special bond with her middle grandchild. He was the spitting image of her best friend, Ginger.

"Oh, we know. Mommy and daddy told us," the nine year old said. This time, the four year old spoke once again.

"Grandma, when is grandpa getting back?" He said.

"I don't know. I sent him out for ice cream, but knowing your grandpa, he'll probably come back with the whole ice cream parlor," she said jokingly.

Just about that time, a car pulled into the drive. All three children ran for the door.

"Yeah, grandpa's here! Yeah, he's got the ice cream! He's got a lot of ice cream!" Mary Ann got up from the couch shaking her head. That was her Gilligan. He was still a kid at heart, and she wouldn't have him any other way.

The door swung open, as Gilligan held it with his foot. He had four grocery bags... all for one ice cream run. After the children hugged him, he shooed them into the kitchen.

"Go on now, take a seat and you'll all get some ice cream," Gilligan had told them. He followed them into the kitchen and gave each child a heaping bowl of ice cream. Each one had two or three different flavors. After they had dug into their treat, Gilligan went back into the living room. He approached Mary Ann and gave her a soft peck on the lips. "Happy anniversary, honey."

"Anniversary? Gilligan, that's not until June. Are you going senile?" Mary Ann asked.

"No, it's the anniversary of the day I met you. It's also the anniversary of the shipwreck... but meeting you was the best part," he said.

"Are we still meeting Ginger and Roy and the rest of the families down by the marina?" She asked.

"Yep, I just wish Mr. and Mrs. Howell were gonna be there. I especially wish the Skipper could be there. At least his widow is coming," Gilligan said, wiping a tear away.

"Now, you know they will all be watching over us. You know, the Skipper was so proud of the man you became, Captain Gilligan," she said, adjusting his captain's hat on his head.

"You mean retired captain," Gilligan stated.

"This will be your last three hour tour, won't it?" Mary Ann said, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Yep, one last time for the S.S. Mary Ann to sail before I hang up my hat to spend all my time with you," Gilligan said, "by the way, I have a surprise." He pulled out a bag from behind his back and lifted out two cardboard cartons, each containing a six pack of root beer.

"Look at that, Mary Ann," he said with excitement, "real glass bottles. I haven't seen those in years."

"Boy, it sure doesn't take much to make you happy, does it?"

"Nope."

"Me neither."

"Will you do me a favor? Will you wear the red gingham dress? Please."

"Gilligan, I'm not sure I even have it, and if I do it may not fit or will surely be full of moth holes."

"Please, I know you still have it. I saw it in your closet. It's my favorite."

"Ok, I'll wear it, but you have to wear your red shirt and sailor's hat."

"I'll wear the shirt, but if you don't mind, I'd like to wear the captain's hat... since it was handed down to me and all. It makes me feel close to the Skipper."

"Yes, I understand. Now, let's go clean those children's faces so we can head over to the reunion." Mary Ann had said heading for the kitchen. She suddenly heard Gilligan call out to her and she turned around.

"Hi there," he said with a smile and a wave.

Mary Ann smiled back and said, "hi there yourself."

The End


End file.
